In recent months, this is a question that has really nagged at me.  So I decided to subject myself to the experience.  It started with my post about Allostatix; in response, the company offered me the opportunity to try out its predictive health product, the Allostatix Load Test.  I had to answer several biometrics questions—my blood pressure, resting heart rate, peak flow, etc.—and get some blood drawn for a battery of tests.

Soon enough, I got back a report that indicated that my health score fell in the middle of the product's "easy to understand" green/yellow/red ratings system. 

The report provides a comprehensive breakdown of the Allostatix Load score, along with descriptions of the various body systems tested, how they are being affected by stress and poor lifestyle habits, and simple, everyday changes that I can be make to improve my health and Allostatix Load.  I wasn't surprised by my bevy of yellow scores, but I was stunned to learn that my renal system fell into the red/danger zone.

As promised, the report provided general healthy lifestyle choices that would improve my health and my Allostatix Load Test score. What could I do to move my renal system score out of the red zone?

•  Drink plenty of water every day.
•  Stop or limit your consumption of alcohol.
•  Control your blood pressure.
•  Control your diabetes, if diagnosed.

I found three out of these four recommendations amusing because they are entirely inapplicable to me: I don't drink alcohol, my blood pressure generally falls on the low side, and I am not diabetic.  As to the advice that I should drink more water, I agree. 

Now that I know that my renal system falls in the red zone, what am I supposed to do with that information (other than drink more)?  Should I go to my primary care provider and ask her to run some tests, or keep an eye on things? Will she even take the Load Test seriously?

I have been mulling over these questions even more seriously since getting back my personal genomics profile from Navigenics.  More on that later.